Abstract

A new surface carburizing technique which combines superplastic deformation with superplastic carburizing (SPC) is introduced. SPC was conducted on duplex stainless steel under compression mode at a fixed 0.5 height reduction strain rates ranging from 6.25 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−3 s−1 and temperature ranging from 1173 K to 1248 K (900 °C to 975 °C). The results are compared with those from conventional and non-superplastic carburizing. The results show that thick hard carburized layers are formed at a much faster rate compared with the other two processes. A more gradual hardness transition from the surface to the substrate is also obtained. The highest carburized layer thickness and surface hardness are attained under SPC process at 1248 K (975 °C) and 6.25 × 10−5 s−1 with a value of (218.3 ± 0.5) μm and (1581.0 ± 5.0) HV respectively. Other than that, SPC also has the highest scratch resistance.